In lithography techniques, for example, a resist film composed of a resist material is formed on a substrate, and the resist film is subjected to selective exposure, followed by development, thereby forming a resist pattern having a predetermined shape on the resist film. A resist material in which the exposed portions of the resist film become soluble in a developing solution is called a positive-type, and a resist material in which the exposed portions of the resist film become insoluble in a developing solution is called a negative-type.
In recent years, in the production of semiconductor elements and liquid crystal display elements, advances in lithography techniques have lead to rapid progress in the field of pattern miniaturization. Typically, these miniaturization techniques involve shortening the wavelength (increasing the energy) of the exposure light source. Conventionally, ultraviolet radiation typified by g-line and i-line radiation has been used, but nowadays KrF excimer lasers and ArF excimer lasers are starting to be introduced in mass production of semiconductor elements. Furthermore, research is also being conducted into lithography techniques that use an exposure light source having a wavelength shorter (energy higher) than these excimer lasers, such as electron beam (EB), extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV), and X ray.
Resist materials for use with these types of exposure light sources require lithography properties such as a high resolution capable of reproducing patterns of minute dimensions, and a high level of sensitivity to these types of exposure light sources. As a resist material that satisfies these conditions, a chemically amplified composition is used, which includes a base material component that exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution under the action of acid and an acid generator component that generates acid upon exposure.
On the other hand, as acid generators usable in a chemically amplified resist composition, various types have been proposed including, for example, onium salt acid generators; oxime sulfonate acid generators; diazomethane acid generators; nitrobenzylsulfonate acid generators; iminosulfonate acid generators; and disulfone acid generators.
Conventionally, a resin (base resin) is typically used as the base component of a chemically amplified resist composition.
For example, in the case of alkali developing process in which an alkali developing solution is used as a developing solution, a chemically amplified positive resist composition for forming a positive resist pattern, which contains an acid generator component and a resin component that exhibits increased solubility in an alkali developing solution by the action of acid is typically used. If the resist film formed using the resist composition is selectively exposed during formation of a resist pattern, then within the exposed portions, acid is generated from the acid generator component, and the action of this acid causes an increase in the solubility of the resin component in an alkali developing solution, making the exposed portions soluble in the alkali developing solution. Thus, by conducting an alkali development solution, the unexposed portions remain to form a positive resist pattern.
A resin that exhibits increased polarity by the action of acid is generally used as a resin component. When the polarity of a resin is increased, the solubility in an alkali developing solution is increased. On the other hand, when the polarity of a resin is increased, the solubility in an organic solvent is decreased. Therefore, when such a base resin is applied to a solvent developing process using a developing solution containing an organic solvent (organic developing solution) instead of an alkali developing process, the solubility of the exposed portions in an organic developing solution is decreased. As a result, in the solvent developing process, the unexposed portions of the resist film are dissolved and removed by the organic developing solution, and a negative resist pattern in which the exposed portions are remaining is formed. The solvent developing process by which a negative resist pattern can be formed is frequently referred to as “negative-tone developing process” (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Currently, resins that contain structural units derived from (meth)acrylate esters within the main chain (acrylic resins) are now widely used as base resins for chemically amplified resist compositions that is used in ArF excimer laser lithography, as they exhibit excellent transparency in the vicinity of 193 nm (for example, see Patent Document 2). Here, the term “(meth)acrylate ester” is a generic term that includes either or both of the acrylate ester having a hydrogen atom bonded to the α-position and the methacrylate ester having a methyl group bonded to the α-position. The term “(meth)acrylate” is a generic term that includes either or both of the acrylate having a hydrogen atom bonded to the α-position and the methacrylate having a methyl group bonded to the α-position. The term “(meth)acrylic acid” is a generic term that includes either or both of acrylic acid having a hydrogen atom bonded to the α-position and methacrylic acid having a methyl group bonded to the α-position.
The base resin contains a plurality of structural units for improving lithography properties and the like. For example, in the case of a resin component which exhibits increased polarity by the action of acid, a base resin containing a structural unit having an acid decomposable group which is decomposed by the action of an acid generated from an acid generator component to increase the polarity, a structural unit having a polar group such as a hydroxy group and a structural unit having a lactone structure is typically used.
Recently, there have been proposed a photoreactive quencher (photo-degradative base) added to a chemically amplified resist composition (for example, see Patent Document 3). The photoreactive quencher is a salt of anion moiety with cation moiety. Before exposure, it exhibits quenching effect to trap an acid generated from an acid generator or the like by ion exchange reaction. After exposure, it is decomposed, and then loses the quenching effect. Therefore, when a resist film formed using a chemically amplified resist composition containing a photoreactive quencher is subjected to exposure, the level of basicity of the photoreactive quencher to trap acid generated from an acid generator or the like is decreased at exposed portions. On the other hand, at unexposed portions, the photoreactive quencher traps acid. As a result, the diffusion of acid from exposed portions to unexposed portions can be suppressed, thereby improving lithography properties.